Slow Cooked Shredded Pork with Chile Verde

Pork shoulder cooked so slow that it falls off the bone. Chile Verde that has the tartness from the tomatillos and limes and just the right amount of heat from the jalapeños and Serrano chiles. Add garlic and onions to the sauce with some chopped cilantro, marry the meat and sauce together, and you have magic in your mouth. It’s easily one of my favorite fillings for burritos and tacos, and wonderful just on its own with a bit of rice and tortillas.

This is not your traditional Chile Verde recipe from New Mexico, as it’s much easier to make and you can leave it cooking for hours. My mom would start the dish in the morning in a Crock Pot before work and by the time all of us came home for dinner, it was ready to go. Recently, I started stuffing roasted poblano peppers with the filling along with some Monterey Jack cheese. It has quickly become one of my “signature dishes.”

Rub the pork with generous amounts of salt, pepper and garlic. Place the bay leaves on top.

Turn the slow cooker on low and let cook for 8 to 10 hours. At this point the meat will just fall off the bone. Pull the bones and bay leaves out of the slow cooker and begin to shred the pork meat with two forks. Set aside.

Here’s a photo of my “signature dish” — a roasted poblano pepper stuffed with slow cooked chile verde, cheese, and drizzled with a Mexican crema sauce I slightly sweeten with honey, cinnamon and a bit of shallots.